Inability to ambulate >50 feet can be temporary.
Fortunately, the inability to ambulate >50 feet can be temporary. There modifications to the home environment would be temporary as well. This might be things like extra seating thru out the home for short rest periods. You might get a mobility assistive device.
Is there an obligation for the employer to make accommodations?
Yes, there is an obligation for the employer to make accommodations. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all areas of public life, including employment. This means that employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause an undue hardship.
In the case of an employee who is unable to ambulate more than 50 feet, the employer would need to consider what reasonable accommodations could be made. Some possible accommodations include:
- Providing a wheelchair or other mobility device
- Allowing the employee to work from home
- Modifying the employee's workspace to make it more accessible
- Providing the employee with more frequent breaks